A Beautiful Life: Cinema's Best Holiday Looks

We are sharing the tips, tricks and all the best there is to know about living your life beautifully. In this edition of the series, Jane Marie of the Beauty Squad queues up her DVD player to narrow down her favorite holiday looks from the movies.
If movies are to be believed—ha!—opportunities for getting dressed up are lurking around every corner. But how often do we really get to go all out, donning ball gowns, crazy headpieces and showstopping makeup? Aside from prom and our one (or three) wedding days, the holidays present really the only other opportunity for getting completely decked out. Here are some unexpected inspirations to help you make an Oscar-worthy entrance at your next holiday fete.
CAROL KANE IN SCROOGED

I'm not sure where you're going to get that dress, but the hair could be done with a styling wand for sure. And this look is the perfect excuse to finally wear all that pink eye shadow you've been hoarding. Don't forget to don ornaments as earrings, as well. Speaking of…
ROSALIND RUSSELL IN AUNTIE MAME
No one knows how to party like Mame Dennis. Here the girl gets asked out after a crying fit and has about five seconds to get ready. Luckily, she is never without her fake eyelashes and red lips. All she needs to be ready to hit the town is a hat to cover up some seriously bummer hair and a few ornaments from the tree (that's a red robin ornament!).
MICHELLE PFEIFFER IN BATMAN RETURNS

I know, I know, Batman Returns is not the first, nor tenth, movie that comes to mind when you think of the holidays, but it is undeniably a Christmas film. Just listen to the music in the trailer. Selina—who is supposed to be a sloppy nerd but barely manages to stoop below effortlessly sexy—already has the smudgy eyeliner/messy lipstick thing happening most days. When she becomes Catwoman, she goes for a full smoky eye and a bold blood red lip. It's a combo we wouldn't dare try in the aughts. Or would we? I know one thing: her hair during the ballroom scene when she dances with Bruce is to die for. Also, if anyone finds a backless dress like that, holler.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY IN LOVE ACTUALLY

I hate feathers, but I have to admit (and it pains me) that I love these feathers. Now, go to Jo-Ann Fabrics and pick up a bag of these for $2. They have long skinny white feathers there, in a bag. I promise. Make a quick bun and stick a handful of the feathers around the outside. I'd pair the hair with a light pink lip and shimmery white eye shadow for a winter wonderland look.
EVERYONE IN 200 CIGARETTES

The only rules here are to find a poufy retro dress and to go NUTS with color and accessories. Get some of Kevin Murphy's Color Bugs if you don't already have fire-engine red hair and temporarily spice things up. Then just get super overdressed for a New Year's Eve party you don't even want to go to.
MARJORIE REYNOLDS IN HOLIDAY INN
Unnfff, I want turbans to come back so badly! You might want to mute the second-to-last scene of this film—in which Bing Crosby perfectly sings "White Christmas" to his gal—so you can focus your attention on Marjorie's amazing head wrap. Let's all get turbans. They're the perfect early-Christmas-morning look when you need to be ready for pictures but haven't yet had a cup of coffee. And, obviously, they can be dressed up for evening. It wouldn't even really matter what the bottom of your hair was doing. Remember your fake lashes and a dark matte lip to complete the look.
RACHEL WEISZ IN ABOUT A BOY

And finally, here is an exercise in restraint. Maybe it's the fact that in this New Year's Eve scene Will is falling in love with Rachel, not to mention that Rachel has a perfect face to begin with. But there's something about the simplicity and rawness of her look here that allows us to fall in love, too. With her hair pulled back (try a French braid here, if you can), simple earrings and barely-there makeup, she lets her dress do all the heavy lifting. I can't remember the last time I left well enough alone on New Year's Eve, but I may make it a resolution this year.